Park Slope Has Best Bivalent Vax Rates In BK, But Rates Still Low

PARK SLOPE, BROOKLYN — New York City still lags in getting the new, bivalent COVID-19 vaccine to its residents, city data shows, even in areas with relatively higher rates of new booster shots.

Over 33 percent of residents in the 11215 ZIP Code, which includes Gowanus and Windsor Terrace in addition to Park Slope, have received their bivalent booster, a much higher rate than the only 12 percent of New Yorkers have received their bivalent COVID boosters, data shows.

That rate is also the highest in all of Brooklyn.

Despite that, the bivalent booster lags the rates of primary COVID vaccine shots by 50 percent.

Bivalent vaccine rates for the other Park Slope ZIP Code, 11217, was similarly high compared to the rest of the borough, with over 26 percent of residents receiving the upgraded protection.

Across Brooklyn, bivalent booster rates hover at 10 percent, much lower than Manhattan's 23 percent rate. Park Slope, Gowanus, Brooklyn Heights and Boerum Hill have the highest booster rates in Kings County, followed closely by Prospect Heights/Clinton Hill.

The lack of response to the bivalent vaccine rollout this fall left many to wonder why the release of the boosters — which are specifically engineered to respond to the highly-virulent omicron variants — lacked the urgency over the primary vaccination series.

Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine and former chair of the City Council Health Committee voiced his disappointment with low booster rates citywide, tweeting that New Yorkers "need to do much better than this."

COVID cases have been on the rise since Thanksgiving, prompting Mayor Eric Adams to encourage New Yorkers to mask up once again.

According to city data, a massive holiday-related surge like in 2020 and 2021 has yet to materialize, but the future remains uncertain with data lagging due to the holidays.

Hospitalizations for COVID are currently at a level not seen since last winter's surge, according to city data as of Dec. 27.

To find a booster location near you, visit vaccinefinder.nyc.gov.